My new leverback earrings are dysfunctional

[LGK]

...or perhaps my ears are. I just got my 8mm stones set into some really basic Stuller 14K white gold 4 prong basket leverbacks. They look fabulous in the jewelry box, but on my ears, they tilt so far foward and under, that they're basically canted forward at a 45 degree angle and you can't see the stones at all. Is it that the stones are too big to be leverbacks? That my ears are weird? (I do have really small earlobes, so it could be ear weirdness I guess, and my new martini set 6mm earring droops horribly in my ear too, but at least there's 8 million threads on droopy martinis and I know I can fix that one.

I realize the easiest thing to do here would be to bring them back to my jeweler and ask him to fix them somehow, but I'm leaving town in a day and want to wear them while I'm gone.

It did occur to me to try to put some stud earring backs onto them to try to push them forward to hang properly, but the leverback wires are too large for any of the earring backs I have.

So I guess I have two questions. Does anyone have any bright ideas that would jury-rig them so I could wear them for now? And does anyone have any larger stone leverbacks that hang right- is it just that the settings suck, or the stones are too big, or my ears are retarded, or what?

I can't post a pic of what the leverbacks look like at the moment, but I can add one tomorrow if that'd help. They look perfectly normal to me for whatever that's worth. I'm kind of wondering if I'll just have to get them reset as studs.

On the yay! side, I dropped off my new antique setting for my 3.55ct OEC, and it can actually be put into it

Since it was a delicate filigree bezel setting with an existing stone in it, I was a bit worried that it wouldn't be possible, but my bench guy said no problem, and that the culet wouldn't be touching my finger like the amethyst currently in there does. And I picked up my transitional cut ring he'd just sized- it was sized really badly once, and he had to size it smaller than I'd asked; it's a size 5 and (unexpectedly) it fits perfectly, which is awesome, because that means I dropped almost two ring sizes when I lost a bunch of weight. Sweet! I'm pretty sure this confirms my diamond-freakdom, because only a diamond freak would be all excited to drop ring sizes... who cares about dress sizes, we want finger coverage

I am trying not to freak out over having to part with it for a week, and trying not to think about how scary it is to have it reset with it's super duper thin girdle, but kinda failing miserably. Well, at least it will look big when I get it back after wearing a 2 ct!

Also can I just say that I have never worn gemstone studs and I have just discovered that my ears are unbelievably greasy?

Icky! I know I have oily skin but good god...

 

[MishB]

I have a similar problem with a pair of graduated 3 stone earrings with leverbacks, they look very pretty and sparkly in the box, but in my ears they too tilt backwards and they just don''t ''perform''. I''m thinking of having them redesigned, maybe in a ring, I''m thinking of a pearl centre with the diamonds down either side.

I think the problem is that it is a ''static'' setting, the diamonds are set straight onto the lever back in one piece.

 

[MishB]

I compare them to these (my favourite ''drop'' earrings) which sit so much better on my ear, I think because of the ring between the setting and the lever. They dangle at the right angle - so to speak.

I don''t think I''ve explained this very well, but hopefully you get the idea!

 

[makemepretty]

They used to sell small clear rubber/plastic tubes you could slide onto the back of an earring to keep it in place. That would work so that if your earring moves it can only move to where you place the clear stopper. I''ve used them on wire earrings.

 

[makemepretty]

Like this:Earring stopper

 

[Bliss]

I would take them to the jeweler to fix! I was worried that would happen when I set my 1.42 diamonds into leverbacks. I have a lot of leverbacks, some of which tilt forward, so I took some time to inspect what prevented these earrings from tilting.

Anyway, the difference I noted is the flat wide "bar" where the earlobe would sit. It is flat and not steeply curved like most leverbacks. This pic kind of illustrates that. So they sit straight on the ear instead of being curved and letting the weight control the way it sits on the ear. Does that make sense? It really halped in my case!

ETA: I echo trying plastic discs or plastic backs? I wouldn't recommend much more because I don't want you to dislodge the setting and lose an earring! Even a plastic back, placed in the wrong spot can keep the leverback open and vulnerable to falling out.

 

[Catmom]

Date: 10/21/2009 7:35:12 AM
Author: makemepretty
They used to sell small clear rubber/plastic tubes you could slide onto the back of an earring to keep it in place. That would work so that if your earring moves it can only move to where you place the clear stopper. I''ve used them on wire earrings.

Ditto, I use earring stoppers on those earrings that really droop on me. You can''t see them and they work great.

 

[tyty333]

Date: 10/21/2009 11:54:40 AM
Author: Bliss
I would take them to the jeweler to fix! I was worried that would happen when I set my 1.42 diamonds into leverbacks. I have a lot of leverbacks, some of which tilt forward, so I took some time to inspect what prevented these earrings from tilting.

Anyway, the difference I noted is the flat wide ''bar'' where the earlobe would sit. It is flat and not steeply curved like most leverbacks. This pic kind of illustrates that. So they sit straight on the ear instead of being curved and letting the weight control the way it sits on the ear. Does that make sense? It really halped in my case!

ETA: I echo trying plastic discs or plastic backs? I wouldn''t recommend much more because I don''t want you to dislodge the setting and lose an earring! Even a plastic back, placed in the wrong spot can keep the leverback open and vulnerable to falling out.

Hey Bliss,
Is there anyway you can post a picture of a lever back that may not sit straight? I''m having a hard time telling exactly
what you mean. Thanks tyty

 

[LGK]

I love PS

You guys all rock. I knew there had to be something to fix this! I had no idea there was such a thing as an earring stopper. It sounds like exactly what I need.

MishB, yeah, they aren't articulated. I bet that would be ideal; if I ever get a custom earring set done, I'll make sure they are dangly rather than fixed like these. That didn't occur to me either.

BTW, that second pair of earrings is absolutely stunning- just my taste.

Makemepretty, thanks for the linky. I definitely need to get me some. I'm glad to hear others swear by them, Catmom!

Bliss, yeah- they're kinda like perfect fishhook shapes, so they can basically slide freely around, with no flat spot to hold them in place.

Meanwhile, I managed to shove some earring backs on them and that held them in place fine. I realized I was being too polite with them

and just shoved them on, they were kinda refusing to go over the curve of the hook I guess.

However I dislocated my knee (for the third time) this morning right after I took them out to clean them at work. My husband kindly went to fetch them for me and could only find one leverback and the martini, but no backing for the martini or the matching leverback, so one is MIA. So it may be a moot point

. I can't go hunt for them either since I'm pretty fully gimpy for the time being. I'm kinda thinking one of my co-workers put it somewhere Really Really Safe; I hope so anyway! (For what it's worth, I'm *sure* nobody would have taken it, it could have ended up just about anywhere though.) Blah.

Ohmigod he's inhaled so much coffee today that he hasn't paused for breath once since getting home an hour ago. I just typed this post amidst a freaking avalance of husband babble.

 

[risingsun]

http://www.heartsonfire.com/#/us/en-us/diamond-collection/view-details.php?item_id=3274&item_name=Fulfillment%20Diamond%20Drop%20Round%20Earrings&style_name=LdvFulE&type_id=2&type_name=Earrings&subtype_id=5&subtype_name=Drop&type=1

This is a picture of my earrings from the HOF website. The drops hang in a forward facing position when I am wearing them. I will try to post some pics of me wearing the earrings. The lever back is not the same as yours, but the drops are on a ring and do not turn to the side. I hope I have explained this in an understandable manner